Display device



Dec. 29, 1942. EL, POFFET 2,306,901

' DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Apfil 2, 1942 s Sh'ets-Sheet 1 26 m vc m m o v INVENTOR. p/E'E/EE L. Par/7 A T TOR/VE K5 Dec. 29, 1942;

P. L. POFFET DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 7' TORNEYS 1942- P. POFFET 2,306,901

I .DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Iv V EN TOR.

P/[EPE L. POP/ET wag/46% A 7" TORNEYS V Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UN-HTED STATES ATT EEECE DISPLAY DEVICE Pierre L. Poffet, New York, N. EL, assignor to Societe Anonyme Mido, Biel, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Application April 2, 1942, Serial No. 437,376

4 Claims. (Cl. 35-49) If the article of manufacture the sturdiness of which is to be demonstrated, is a watch or similar timepiece, it is more advisable to. combine this demonstration of its sturdiness with a demonstration of some of its other qualities, such as the fact that it is protected against shock, that it is non-magnetic, that it is waterproof and that it winds itself automatically in the course of a normal wearing. Another object of this invention is, therefore, the provision of a single display device which may be used for effectively demonstrating the aforesaid qualities of a watch.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention it was found advisable to provide a motor drive reciprocating a rack and thereby oscillating a chain wheel carrying one end of a chain, while the watch or other article which is being Clem:

onstrated is attached to the other end of the chain. The watch may be placed by the chain upon a support which is withdrawn by a cam device associated with the oscillating chain wheel to allow the watch to fall or drop. This drop may be used to demonstrate not only the sturdiness of the watch but also the fact that it is waterproof, since a container filled with water may be placed in the path of the falling watch.

The cam device must be so constructed that the support actuated thereby will not interfere with an upward movement of the chain pulling the watch back to its original position.

On the other hand, the dropping of the watch may be conveniently used for demonstrating two of its qualities, namely, that it is non-magnetic and that it is protected against shock. For that purpose, the motor drive may be used for periodically energizing a magnet located above the support and holding the watch for a short time while the full length of the chain is being released by the chain Wheel, whereupon the watch drops upon the support.

The motor drive may be connected with electrical switches for periodically switching on and off electrical lamps or advertising signs and for actuating other movable display objects.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings An object of the showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front View of the display device. Figure 2 is a rear view with the rear-wall removed.

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3-of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows the cam device on a larger scale.

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the electrical connections.

The display device shown in the drawings comprises a casing having a front wall [9, a rear wall ll, sidewalls l2 and 3, a cover I4 and a base l5 (Figures 2 and 3). The rear wall has vents 9| and 92.

A motor which may be provided with a ventilating fan it, is situated Within the casing and is connected with a gear reducing box H. The motor shaft It is connected by the gears within the box ll with a primary driving shaft I9 and a secondary driving shaft 2d.

The primary driving shaft in carries at one end a disc 2| which is keyed thereon. The disc 2| carries an eccentrically located pin 22 upon which one end of a connecting rod 23 is mounted. The opposite end of the rod 23 has the form of a rack 24 which meshes with a pinion 25 and which is held in place by a bent portion of a support 26 freely mounted upon a shaft 2'! (Fig. 5). The pinion 25 is keyed upon the shaft 21, which is carried by brackets 28 and 29 situated upon the rear surface of the front wall ll! (Fig. 2).

A reel or chain wheel 33 is also keyed upon the shaft 27. A chain 3i extends over the wheel 30 and has one end which is firmly connected to the wheel at 32 (Fig. l). The other end of the chain 3| extends out of the casing through a guide 33 and a passage 3t provided in the front wall N. Then the chain passes over a roller 35 supported in front of the wall it by brackets 36.

The roller 35 and a part of the chain 3| extending over the roller may be concealed from an observer by a figure 3? which is carried upon the outer surface of the wall It and which may have the form of a hand. Then the illusion is created that it is a hand which holds the chain 3| (Fig. 1).

The opposite end of the chain 3| carries a watch 38 or other article which is to be demonstratecl.

A movable plate or support 58 is located directly below and in the path of movement of the watch 38.

An electromagnet 46 is situated in front of the Wall l0 and between the roller 35 and the support 39. The electromagnet 48 is periodically energized by means of contacts actuated by the main drive, as will be described in detail hereinafter. For exhibition purposes, the magnet 48 is represented by an object 93 which is an imitation horse shoe magnet.

The support or plate 38 extends through an opening 4| provided in the front wall |8. A pivot 42 carries a two-armed lever one arm of which consists of a rod 43 carrying the plate 39, the other arm having the form of a hook-shaped cam follower 44 engaged by one end of a spring 45, while the other end of the spring is attached at 46 to an extension 4! of the bracket 28 (Fig. 4)

The cam follower 44 may be engaged by a surface 48 of a cam 49 which is loosely mounted upon the shaft 21. The cam 49 is actuated by means of a driving member or sleeve 58 which is keyed upon the shaft 21 and which has a projecting portion engaging at predetermined intervals a pin carried by the cam 49.

The described mechanism is used to reciprocate or swing the support 39 in and out of the path of movement of the watch 38, the forward position of the support 39 being determined by an elastic stop 52 which is carried upon the inner surface of the wall l8 above the opening 4| (Figs. 2 and 3).

A container 53 filled with water maybe placed upon a platform 54 which is connected to the front wall l8 and is supported by vertical walls 55.

The illumination of the display device may consisu of electric lamps 56 to 59 which are carried by shelves 6| one above the other in a supplementary casing 68 which is situated in front of the wall l8 and to one side thereof. The light of the lamps may be visible to an observer through suitable windows provided in the casing 68.

Electricity is intermittently supplied to the lamps by a commutator drum 62 which rotates along with the driving shaft l9. The drum 62 is made of insulating material and carries conducting strips 69 to 16 which are shown more clearly in Figure 6. The strip 69 is conductively connected with strips 18, H and 13, the strips 12 to 15 are connected with each other and the strip 15 is connected with the strip 16.

The gear easing l1 carries one end of an insulating arm 63 which carries contacts 84 to 68 adapted to engage the conducting strips 69 to 13. The contact 64 is connected by wires 71 and 18 to the magnet 48. A wire 19 connects the wire H with the lamp 56 which is to be en ergized when the magnet is actuated. The lamp 5! which is energized when the watch drops upon the shelf 39, is connected by a wire 88 with contact 55. The lamp 58 which is energized when the watch drops into water is connected by a wire 8| with contact 66.

Another lamp 59 used for calling attention to the self-winding quality of the watch 38 is connected by a wire 82 to a contact 61.

The magnet 48 and the lamps 56 to 59 are connected by a wire 83 to a main line 84 to which the contact 68 is also connected.

The self-winding quality of the watch 38 is best demonstrated by a watch-carrying display article 85 having the form of a hand (Fig. 3). The article 85 is situated in front of a wall 55 and is swung to and fro by a shaft 86 which extends through the wall l8 and the inner end of which is connected with a lever 81. The lever 81 is pivotally connected with a link 88 mounted upon a pin 89 which is carried by a disc 98. The 7 disc 88 is keyed upon the secondary driving shaft 28 and is rotated thereby.

The machine is operated as follows:

The rotation of the motor shaft l8 of the motor E5 is transmitted through the gear box I! to the primary driving shaft |9 which rotates the disc 2| carrying the pin 22. Thus the connecting rod 23 is reciprocated. The upper end of the rod 23 which is held in place by the holding member 26, has the form of a rack 24 which meshes with a pinion 25 so that the reciprocatory movement of the rod 23 is transmitted into an oscillatory turning movement of the pinion 25. The shaft 21 and the chain wheel 38 turn along with the pinion 25. The turning of the chain wheel 38 in one direction will release the chain 3| carrying the watch 38, so that the watch can move downwardly by gravity.

During the movement of the chain wheel 38 in the opposite direction the chain 3| is wound upon the wheel 38 and the watch 38 is pulled upwardly.

As the chain 3| is being released by the wheel 38, the watch 38 will move downwardly from its uppermost position until it is brought opposite the magnet 48 (Fig. 3).

The eonducting strip 69 is so arranged upon the drum 62 which rotates along with the shaft l9, that at that time the strip 68 is moved into contact with the contacts 64 (Fig. 6).

Then a circuit is established through one of the main lines 84, a contact 68 and strips 16, 15, 14, 13, 1|, I8 and 69 to the contacts 64 and the wires 11, 18, and 19 to the magnet 48 and the lamp 56, returning to the other one of the main lines 84 through the wire 83. 7

Thus the magnet 48 is energized and holds the watch 38, while the chain 3! continues to move downwardly forming a loop shown by broken lines in Figure 3. The lit lamp 56 may be used to draw the attention of an observer to'the fact that the operation of the watch is not afiected by the magnet.

The lamp 56 will be extinguished and the magnet 48 will be deenergized as soon as the strip 69 is moved out of engagement with the contacts 64. Then the watch 38 will be released by the magnet and will fall upon the support 39. This drop of the watch 33 is made possible due to the additional length of the chain 3|. which was released by the wheel 38. At that time, the conducting strip 18 will engage the contacts 65 thereby establishing an electrical circuit which will illuminate the lamp 51. The electrical circuit lighting the lamp 5'! is easily traceable in the diagram shown in Figure 6. The lamp 5'! will direct the attention of the observer to the feature that the watch is protected against shock.

Thereafter, the plate or shelf 39 is required to carry out a retracting or withdrawing movement. As already stated, the actuating sleeve 58 keyed upon the shaft 21, has a projecting portion which engages the pin 5| of the cam 49 during the unwinding movement of the chain and the chain wheel (Fig. 4). Then the sleeve 58 and the cam 49 will move jointly for awhile. The various parts are so located that the cam surface 48 will move under the cam follower. after the watch 38 has been lying for awhile upon the plate 39. Then the cam follower 44 will move upwardly, thereby expanding the spring and causing the rod 43 andthe support 39 to swing inwardly to the position indicated by broken lines in Figure 3. This movement of the plate 39 will cause the watch 38 to drop into the container 53 which is filled with water. In the meantime, the lamp 5'! will be extinguished and the strip II will be brought into engagement with the contacts 66, thereby closing the circuit which illuminates the lamp 58, to draw the attention of an observer to the fact that the watch is water-proof.

Thereafter, the movement of the shaft 27 and the wheel 36 is reversed and the wheel 38 will begin to pull upwardly the chain 3!. The cam surface 48 will remain in engagement with the cam follower id. The actuating sleeve 50 which moves along with the shaft 2?, will move out of engagement with the pin 5! and will remain out of engagement with the pin until its opposite surface contacts the pin. Thereafter, the cam 49 is moved by the sleeve 50 in the opposite direction until the cam surface 58 is moved out of engagement with the cam follower 44. In the meantime, the upward movement of the chain L 3i has moved the watch 38 above the opening ti. As soon as the cam follower M is released, the spring 55 will swing the rod 53 and move the plate 39 to the forward position. The cam 43 which is freely mounted upon the shaft 21, may i drop by gravity to the position shown in Figure 4.

The secondary driving shaft 28 swings to and fro the display article 85 by means of the rotating disc 96, the link 83, the arm 81 and the shaft 86. At the same time, the lamp 559 situated close to the article 85 (Figs. 1 and 6) may be illuminated intermittently by the engagement of contacts 67 with any one of the conducting strips '52 to 15.

Throughout all these manipulations, the dial of the watch is turned toward the onlooker, who can observe that the watch continues to run and indicate the correct time, so that the running of the watch is not affected by any of the treatments to which it is subjected.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown above have been given by way of illustra tion and not by way of limitation, and that the structures above described are subject to wide variation and modification Without departing from the scope or intent of the present invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for displaying a watch or similar object having a magnetisable casing, a driving shaft, a reel, means wound upon said reel and holding the display object, means connecting said driving shaft with said reel for continuously turning said reel first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and thereby causing said means continuously to first unwind and thereby release said object, which moves by gravity, and then causing said means to be wound and thereby pull said object in the opposite direction,

an 'electromagnet situated close to the path of said object during its movement by gravity, and means actuated by said driving shaft for energising said electromagnet for a time period during said objects movement by gravity, whereby said object is first attracted and held by sad electromagnet and is then released.

2. In a mechanism for displaying a watch or similar object, a driving shaft, a reel, means wound upon said reel and holding the display object, means connecting said driving shaft with said reel for continuously turning said reel first in one direction and then in the opposite direc tion, and thereby causing said means continuiii) ously to first unwind and thereby release said object, which moves by gravity, and then causing said means to be wound and thereby pull said object in the opposite direction, a support, a pivoted two armed lever having one arm carrying said support, a turning shaft firmly connected with said reel and movable therewith, a cam carried by said turning shaft and having a cam surface adapted to engage the other arm of said lever and swing the same to move said support from a forward position in the path of the movement by gravity of said object to a retracted position, and means actuated by said turning shaft and operating said cam to maintain said support in its forward position during a part of th movement by gravity of said object, whereby said object reaches said support and rests upon it, and whereby the movement of said support to the retracted position causes a drop of said object.

3. In a mechanism for displaying a watch or similar object, a driving shaft, a reel, means wound upon said reel and holding the display object, means connecting said driving shaft with said reel for continuously turning said reel first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and thereby causing said means continuously to first unwind and thereby release said object, which moves by gravity, and then causing said means to be wound and thereby pull said object in the opposite direction, a support, a pivoted two armed lever having one arm consisting of a rod carrying said support and another arm consisting of a cam follower, a turning shaft firmly connected with said reel and movable therewith, a cam mounted for rotation upon said turning shaft and having a cam surface adapted to ensage said cam follower and swing said lever to move said support from a forward position in the path of the movement by gravity of said object to a retracted position, a spring maintaining said cam follower in engagement with said cam, a pin carried by said cam, and an actuating sleeve keyed upon said turning shaft and having surfaces adapted to engage and operate said cam to maintain said supportin its forward position during a part of the movement by gravity of said object, whereby said object reaches said support and rests upon it, and whereby the movement of said support to the retracted position causes a drop of said object.

4. In a mechanism for displaying a watch or similar object, a driving shaft, a reel, means wound upon said reel and holding the display object, a disc keyed upon said driving shaft, a pin eccentrically mounted upon said disc, a connecting rod having one end mounted upon said pin, the other end of said connecting rod constituting a rack, a turning shaft, said reel being keyed upon said turning shaft, a pinion keyed upon said turning shaft and meshing with said rack, a supporting member mounted for rotation upon said turning shaft and maintaining said rack in engagement with said pinion, means connectin said driving shaft with said reel for continuously turning said reel first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and thereby causing said means continuously to first unwind and thereby release said object, which moves by gravity, and. then causing said means to be wound and thereby pull said object in the opposite direction, and means holding said object for a time period during its movement by gravity and then releasing it to cause a drop of said object.

PIERRE L. POFFET. 

